1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to an apparatus and process for collecting, and, optionally, grinding and spreading the equine manure.
2. Background
A component of maintaining horses is ensuring that the area where they are kept and exercised, for example a pasture, is routinely cleaned so that the horses do not eat contaminated feed and grass. A contributing source to contamination can be droppings of equine manure, as the droppings—left untreated, can be a breeding location for flies and a growth location parasites and pathogens, in general. It has been found that good pasture management will virtually eliminate the potential for serious complications caused by parasitism. Parasites are primarily transferred through manure, and proper pasture management is critical. A major component of proper pasture management usually includes a combination of removing equine manure and spreading it after it has been broken down into fine granules. Removing manure is nominally a labor intensive process, wherein the manure is manually collected, using a pitch fork or shovel, into a barrow or similar enclosure, leaving most of the underlying pasture grass. Grinding is nominally a separate process that enables the manure to be quickly incorporated into the soil and the roots of the grass.
A paddock, which is a small, usually enclosed field near a stable or barn for pasturing or exercising animals can have a high concentration of equine manure, and have a high potential for cross-contamination. An apparatus that can quickly collect the equine manure would advantageously mitigate cross-contamination.
Historically, a mechanism of sequestering carbon in the soil has been to grow cover crops, and then till the crop back into the soil. A newer technique, No-till farming, utilizes collected and ground manure to be spread over the soil, however the collection typically cuts or collects the grass in the process of collecting the manure. Nominally, the equipment utilizes expensive sweeping types of machines and the collected material requires further processing. An apparatus that selectively grinds and spreads the equine manure, without cutting the grass, would affect No-till farming.